neap tide

neap tide

See also: neaptide

English

Etymology

From neap +‎ tide. Compare Danish niptid (“neap tide”), German Nipptide (“neap tide”), Old English nēpflōd (“neap tide”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈniːpˌtaɪd/, /ˈnɪpˌtaɪd/[1]

Noun

neap tide (plural neap tides)

1. The tide which occurs just after the first and third quarters of the moon, when there is least difference between high tide and low tide.
   • 1992 July 1, Neil F. Comins, “A New Slant on Earth”, in Astronomy, volume 20, number 7, page 44:

     Spring tides occur when the Sun and Moon line up, since the gravities of the two bodies add together to create larger tidal forces. Neap tides occur when the Sun and Moon are at right angles to one another as seen from Earth. In this case, the gravitational forces counteract each other, creating weaker tidal forces.

   • 1993 November 1, Michael Kernan, (Tarawa), “...heavy fire...unable to land...issue in doubt.”, in Smithsonian, volume 24, number 8, page 118:

     Rear Adm. Harry Hill, put in command of the amphibious force, consults with local mariners and reaches a cautious consensus that neap high tide in the lagoon on November 20 will surely be close to five feet deep.

   • 1995, Richard M. Schlenker and Sarah J. Yoshida, “Developing Science Activities”, in Science Activities, volume 32, number 2, page 34:

     ... and neap tides (tides that occur during the first and third quarters of the moon and that have the least difference between high and low tides), ...

   Antonym: spring tide

Translations

tide which occurs when the moon is in its first or third quarter

Afrikaans: dooie gety Bikol Central: ayaay Catalan: marea morta f, marea de quadratura f Dutch: doodtij (nl) n Finnish: vajaavuoksi French: marée de morte eau f German: Nippflut f, Nipptide f Greek: χαμηλή παλίρροια f (chamilí palírroia) Irish: mallmhuir f Manx: traaie f Maori: tai kōwā, tai kōwāwā, taitai ririki, tai ninihi Norman: morte-ieau f (Jersey) Norwegian: Bokmål: nippflo (no) m or f Portuguese: maré de quadratura f, maré de quarto f, maré de águas mortas f Russian: отлив (ru) m (otliv), малая вода (ru) f (malaja voda) Scottish Gaelic: conntraigh f Welsh: llanw isel m

References

1. Jespersen, Otto (1909) A Modern English Grammar on Historical Principles (Sammlung germanischer Elementar- und Handbücher; 9)‎, volume I: Sounds and Spellings, London: George Allen & Unwin, published 1961, § 4.35, page 124.

Further reading

• tide on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• diapente